Automatic stop mechanism control



Aug. 2, 193.2.`

A. C. CARY, 3D AUTOM'AT'IC sToP MECHANISM CONTROL ,Filel Feb. '7, 1928 2 Sheats-Sheet i 1 21 53 f 541345 551944 5911 f57/ S INVENTOR ATTORNEY Aug. 2, 1932. A. c. CARY, `3D 1,869,999

Y AUTOMATIC 'sToP MECHANISM CONTROL Filed Feb. 7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 56V sa y `INVENTOR YPatented Au'g. 2A, 1932 UNITED] Jarra-TESA PATENT orric ALEXANDER CLAXTON CARY, 3D, OF lIlAllulHlllIOll'T,l NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F 'YORK .'AUTONT'ATIC STOP MECHANISM CONTROL v My invention relatesto an automatic stop mechanism control, and more particularly to a device of this'character capable: of being so set that after a predetermined number of actuations thereof byl the machine, in connection with which it is used, it'will auto# matically close an electrical circuit and therethrough cause the actuation of other mechanisms resulting in the stoppage of said machine.

In certain types of printing machines, particularly in high grade work, it is desirable to limit the output of a machine to' an exact number. This is particularly true in rotary steel plate engraving machines where an overrun `is ordinarily -not permissible except at a material wastageof expensive material. It is also desirable,however, in connection with other types of machines.

. While it is customary in many machines to use counters to permit the determination of the output of amachine, such counters do not have any control over the functioning of the machine, thus introducingr into the length of koperation of this machine the personal factor,

which is unreliable. e y

With the above conditions in mind, l have provided an automatic stoptmechanismcontrol adapted to be actuated from working mechanisms in the machine.v which may he so set that upon the completionof a predetermined number oft actuations of the machine, an electric circuit will be so controlled as to cause the. actuation of other mechanisms in the machine in` a manner to interruptthe application of power to the 'machine and prevent a further production ofl work. v It will' be obvious that the construction of this auto-l matic stop mechanism'` control must be such that the various parts therein cannot co-operate in a manner tocause the stoppage of the machinee'xcent as determined bythe setting of the stop mechanism control, and that the `construction and arrangement of parts must be such as to secure-accuracy in the 'function-v im* of the control mechanisms.

While the stop mechanism control may be so constructe las to function as a counter or regi ster to permit the operator or a super vison to determinethe progress of the ,workr being done, this feature is of minor importance as compared with the possibility of limiting the output of the machine by a predetermined setting of the stop mechanism control. It is of no importance, therefore, whether digits be used upon dial plates to assist in` an accurate setting' of the stop mchal Y "nism control, or other means be employed for this purpose, nor is it of importance, if digits be used, whether their arrangement be such as to cause the operation of the machine by an ascending or a descending progression 1n the movement of these digits.` A

It is essential, however, that a sequence of members. each carryingcircuit controlling tdevices, be employed, that transfer mechanisms be vemployed to cause the progressive actuation of these members from a main source of actuation of the stop mechanism'Y control, and thatsaid members and said cr. cuit controlling devices shall be capable of 4being so set as to ensure accuracy in the relative operation of said members, and the co ordination of the various circuit controlling devices only after a predetermined number vof actuations of the main actuatingniechanism'of the stop mechanism control by the workingmechanismsof the machine.

The control device herein yreferred to is particularly designed for use' upon printing machines, it being a common practice to drive such machinesV frgm an individual motor and tov` provide amain switch mechanism controlling the application of power to said motor and various controlling switches at different points of the machine to facilitate the stopping and starting-thereof while work upon different parts of the machine, incidental to the preparation of the machine fora run, is being done.

So far as the present invention-)is concerned, it is merely requisite that in, connection with an electrically actuated mechanism forcontrolling the application of power 'to the machine, whether the source of this power bean electric motor or merely a mechanical drive. present application is Vmerely an additional control mechanism for the purpose of ensuring, when desired, the. automatic 'interrupit be used e Sib . In effect, the device. of thetion of power to the machine after a .predetermined number of actuations thereof. p

In recognit1on of the fact that at times an e indeterminate length of run of a machine is required, I so construct the control device of my invention'that when desired it may be made totally inoperative to cause the inter ruption of the application of power to the machine, the reasons for which will more fully appear hereinafter. F

The invention consistsprimarily in an automatic stop mechanism control embodying therein a pluralityv of circuit controlling devices each including ixed and movable contact members saiddevices being in series in a circuit from a source, a sequence of rotatable members, each of said rotatable mem-` bers havingA associated therewith a movable contactpmember a main actuating mechanism operative upon one of said rotatable members and adapted to receive impulses froml v. a moving mechanism of a machine with and adjusted in relationto, a rotatable memJ I each." cycle of operations of said machine,

means causing a progressive actuation of said'.

rotatable members, and means whereby said movable member of each circuit controlling devicemay befoperat-ively connected with,

ber .to predetermine an --interval of simultaneous actuation of said circuit controlling devices;` and' in'such other novelfeatures of p to; lap ended. A

construction and combination of parts as are Re erring to thefdrawings, Fig. \1 is a front' eleva-tion; i Fig. -2 is a section on thejlin 1, looking upwardly; y I l. Fig. 3 is a detail view'o'f the electrical conv tact `arrangement ;l

Fig. 4 is resection onthe'lifn of I out theseveral'views., v y

In the embodiment ofthe invention shown Fig.r 5 is a viewiuustreing the setting andoperation of the :cont-rol. "j v Like .numerals referto like parts through!- in the drawings, I employ l,a plurality -of circuit'cont'rollingl devices consisting of a series of pairs of spaced "contacts 10, 11, 12, 13 arid 14, arranged in seriesrin` an electrical circuit ,which is ordinarily merely 'a local circuit of v-fflow,potential in order to avoid. sparking at. .p thesev contacts with' thel making "or 'breaking of thejcircuit controlled-thereby.

f A lead wire 15 communicates with one of .the'contacts of the pair 10, and a'lead wire.

16 communicates with one of the contacts of the pair 14. circuit controllingmech;A J anism includes a movable member associated with each pair of contacts Vand consisting of' an electro-conductive bridge member sup.- ported by an arm of ulating material, the

Lacasse members 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 being fused in f the form ofthe. invention'showni' yTheseA members are in the form of shafts mountedin suitable'bearings in a frame-workl 27 and, for convenience o description, will be designated the units'shaft, tens shaft,l hundreds ovable members shownslat. v

shaft, th'ousandths'shaft 'and tens ,of thou-l sandths shaft. yThe first of thesel shafts, 2 2, s is provided with a ratchet or star-"wheel 28,

through which movement is imparted to saidshaft by a main actuating' mechanism 'con-v sisting of a swing pawl v29 pvoted at 30.and

sov

having a tooth 31 c'o-operating with v the I ratchet or star lwheel 2.8. `This 4swing pawl is adapted to be connected in vthe usual or any desired manner withy ahmechanism ofI a `machine so as to receive one complete reciprolcation during each cycle of operations of the machine necessary to thecompletion'of work upon a single article. ,A The ratchet or star wheel 28 lhas tenteeth .and is acted upon by a spring pressed detentpawl 32 to minimize likelihood lof overrunning ofthe rotatable member to an extent to interfere with the accuracy'of the func-I tioning of the mechanism'. A In the l movable member 17 ,-isoperatively connected with the rotatable member lor unitsshaft 22 by means of a dia-l wheel 33 having ten graduations indicated thereon and spaced. equally apart, means, as the screw threaded openings 'i form of 'the 'nvention shown, the- 34 adjacent each of said graduations, being i provided, -whereby the member' '17 may be not only connectedV with said dial wheel bymeans of a screw 35 passing therethrough in a.4 manner to cause it to be kactuated thereby,v

but maybe adjusted in relation thereto `so as l'- to control the timing of the operativc,en.

gagement ofsaid member 17 with-the c011- in..

tacts 10 with ,apgiven-fsetting of the'dial wheel.' Said-dial wheel is carried by 4vand p f rotatable with the shaft 22, i' v Also carried by' and rotatable lwith thef shaft 22 is an actuating member .ortappet 36 'M of a transfer mechanism by which, upon the j "completion of each full rotation of said shafty f 22, a one-tenth rotation will be imparted tof the rotatable member of nexthi'gherdenomination, the shaft 23. v

25are each provided with a starwheeljde#4 e rotatable members or'shaftsfQS,.2411x141` tent pawl, dial vand, transfer member having the same construction and mode of voperation as vthe corresponding parts associated with the rotatable member or shaft 22,*said I' star wheels being shown' 4respectively vat '37,

38 and 39 ;'th'e detentpawlsat 4l), 41 and 42: the dials at 43, 44 and 45; the scre'wlthreaded openings in said dials at 46,47' and 4 8, and

theV transfer mechanism actuating members at 49, 50 and 51.

The movable circuit controlling members 18, 19'and 2O are operatively connected with the rotatable members or the shafts 23, 24 and 25 by means of screws 52, 53 and 54 cooperating respectively with the screw threaded openings in said dials carried'by said shafts respectively.

The rotatable member or the shaft 26 of highest denomination carries a star wheel 55 acted upon by a detent pawl 56 and a dial 57 having screw threaded openings 58 therein, by means of which the movable circuit controlling member 2l may be secured and adjusted in relation to the rotatable'member or shaft 26 by means of a screw 59.

The construction of the various elements associated with each rotatable member or shaft above referred to, is identical with the same elements carried by other rotatable members or shafts, the sole difference in the arrangement of each shaft and its appurtenances being in the different positioning ofl these members upon the shaft so as to permit the lapping of the dials in order to permit a l y shortening ofthe length of the entire structure. f

Arranged in the length of the lead wire 16 is a manually operative switch mechanism 60 of ordinary construction, by means of' which the stop mechanism control heretofore described may bev made totally inoperative, or may be made operative, at will and independently of the various circuit controlling mechanisms 'in the device.

All of the mechanisms heretofore described are supported within a housing'` having a closure 61 provided with sight openings as shown, so that the device may be used asa counter as well as an automatic stop mechanism. The adaptability of the control for use as a counter is due to the fact that the various rotatable members or shafts 22 to 26 are progressively actuated in the same man. ner as the digit wheels of the ordinary counter. and it is more convenient to have the graduations upon each-dial in the form of digits in setting'the various movable members 17 to 21. This practice will also permit the control to be used in lieu ofthe ordinary counter. f

By the foregoing it will be noted that there is provided a plurality of circuit controlling devices so arranged as to provide a normally open circuit, and so actuated that the stop mechanism control cannotfunction until all of these gaps in the circuit are closed bythe respective movable members forming parts of the several circuit controlling mechanisms` which can occur onlv at a time determined by their setting in relation to the other rotatable members and the progressive actuation of said rotatable members. Y

The main controlling switch mechanism nism, inoperative.

60 is-used mainly for the purpose of interrupting the circuit while setting the device, although when an indeterminate run of the machine is being made it may be also used to avoid a possible accidental' stoppage of the machine as a result of a failure to so set the various members 17 to ,21 in a manner to avoid this condition arising.

The operation of the herein described automatic stop mechanism control is substantially as follows In describing the operationof the control it will be considered in connection with its operation in conjunction4 with printing machinery, it being understood that such machines are ordinarily provided with a throwoff mechanism for making the printing cou,-4

ple inoperative inthe event of the failure of the feeding mechanism to deliver a sheet thereto, or when it is desired to operate themachine-without making an impression. In such machines this throwo mechanism usually has associated therewith a device which, with'the separation of the members of the printing couple, will automatically make the device operative upon the countingvmechamachines inv which counters are used, and whether the control -of my invention be used as a counter or not, interruption of its functioning in the same manner as the' ordinary counter is highly desirable.

The present invention, however, relates not to these characteristics of the machines with which the control is used, but to the con:

'trol itself and the manner of its operating in relation to the mechanism from which it is actuated, and in fact the character of this mechanism is immaterial to the invention which has a wide range of utility so far as different machines or parts of machines with which it may be used is concerned.

In the printing of bank notes, bonds and other securities, the requirement for a limited number of such, and there is not the usual leeway for an overrun in7 the production of same which is present in almost every other line of manufacture. In this class of work as inall other kinds of work there is a percentage of imperfect work. It is the ordinary manufacturing practice to allow This is true in various f for this imperfect work by providing4 for a production inv excess of the actual require! ments in an amount which -experience has shown will compensate for imperfect work, ample allowance being made for the uncertainties of production so as to ensure the completion of at least the number of articles orvamount of lmerchandise required. If the number of imperfect articles islow, then there will be an excess of perfect goods over the requirements, and when the merchandise is specially made, the purchaser ordinarily will; accept this excess product, so that there is vllittle or no Awastage as a result of over-y runs in general commercial lines. .As stated above, however, 1n bank notes and securities, in most lnstances, the delivery must be of an exact amount, and any overrun is wastage iof expensive p aper, expensive labor and expensive material and is.a..total loss to theproducer. L

With the above conditions in mind, the desirability of the control herein described will be readily appreciated.

Assuming that the number of impressions Y of a given kind which are to be made is 100,-

be separatedffrom the perfectimpressions. l

.Al machine ordinarily may run fora length y of time suiiicient to produce thefull l100,000 impressions, 0r even vslightly. above ythis,

"same time, by .using digits upon?the'hzdisks' carriedby the various' rotatable memberaan Y accurate count ofthe number vof-in'ipressions amaybe made in the usual and wel-l known without any fear of an overrun, since there` will always be a certaimnumber of imper' fect imprints.A During this lrun of the .ma

chine 'there is no .need fori'the use{of,thestop mechanism control 'of the invention,andzcon' sequently the switch '60f'rnaylbe' setso pas-to openv the circuit to this control, "andjat the manner. The control Vmay be set, however;

so as to cause thefstoppageof the machine upon the completion ofa long. as well as a short run. With the completion vof the run ofthe machine, however, there will always be" a/ certain shortage in the number of impres-` V f sions, which will have been determined "dur- 4ing Athe progress of the work.v AFor our present pur-poses we will assume that this shortageamounts to .9,542 impressions; Conse quently the overrunrequired to secure the'v Ago. extend the .run beyond this definite amount i this final run, and under` n0 Circumstances .complete number of impressions is definite.'k

and if, as a matter of policy, it is decided to the percentage of waste can extend only .to

- can it 'be a factoin theen'tire output of such articles. By this is meant, thatwastage which .results fromkv an overrun of perfect production.

If the stop mechanism control for the 'original run of 100,000 impressions hasv been lset upon the initiation of .this run, the various movable members 22 to 26.. will have' brgught the various dials 33, 43, 44, and`571toa lposition where thevario'us digitsf9 thereon i wnLbepre'Send at thetop 0f medial-.with

the .various movable contact members 17, 18,` 19,. 20 and 21 closing the gapv at the 'contacts means of this switch and thus avoid likelihood of sparkin when turning any of the shafts 22 to 26. ccess is, had to thevarious dials by removing the closure 61 which is hinged to the casing containing the other mechanisms to .facilitate such access tothe dials. v

This setting of the various shafts will bring the various transfer members 36', 49, 50 'and 51. to a position where i-t will require a fullr'otation of the shaft v22, 23, 24 or 25 to bring this transfer member into its operative relation to the star wheel 37, 38, 39 and respectively so as to impart a one-tenth rotation. to the shaft carrying same. The various screws, `52', 5 3, 54 and 59 are then .loosened andthegmovable` `contact members 17 vto 21 set,'t he lmember 21 indicating-0 on 'the dial57 the member .20 set indicating-9 upon thev dial45; the member 19 set indicat- .Y

ing fjupon' the dial 44; the member 18k set -indicating 4-uponthe dial 43, and the mem- `ber 17 set indicating 2 upon the dial 33. This is .the'jposition' yof parts shown in full lines ,engagedwithr the contacts 14, but that each ofthe other members is disengaged from said contacts.

*With the parts so set, theswitch may be'l closed an'dthe'closure 61 also closed.4 IWith'A each ten revolutions ofthe members l22I to,

24 respectively lthevmember of .next higher ,-2 denomination will receive one-tenth'revol'u tion,""thuslcausing the ac tuatio'njef the `vaf nous members 'i inf lfar'tl1`m-etical' progression;v` During each rotation ofea'cli 'rotatable mem-l' berrthe Imovable. contact -membeassociated therewithf-'will engage' its coo'perating con# tact members-which,.however, will'not affect the circuits including thes'eicontact members or cause-(sparking. The-'circuitsv can be closed only- .when there is" afrs'imultaneousen# I gagementiof the movable contactjmembersf with their co-operating 'contact members, and .this can occur only whentheprogiressive actuation of the machine'has beensuch as 'to bring the character,v opposite which' they movl ,able| contact member .isset ,as toeach'of thev movable. membermlyjin, 'ae-position f` where .the v movable member'wil bef`eligaged.lwitli-v its cofoperatin'g'contats. f f" i -'6.510,' 11, 12, 13-'and14 respectively, which con- Assumingtheuse'vof the various dials, this can occur only when the digits 9, 5, 4 and 2 are alined with the upper vertical radius of the various shafts 22 to 25, the 0 and the arm of the remaining rotatable member already being in this position.y Hence, notwithstanding that the movable member carried by'and movable with each of the r'otatable members or shafts will, during the making of the 9,542 impressions, operatively engage the contacts associated therewith, and notwithstanding that at times three of these movable members ,will actuate their contacts simultaneously, the circuit controlled by the series of contacts will not'be closed until the. number of actuations of the machine has corresponded with the total num- ;ber indicated by the setting of the Various movable members in relation to the rotatable `members or shafts respectively.

It will readily be understood that the construction heretofore described will permit the y setting of the control for any desired number of actuations, and that this capability of predetermining the number of actuations of the machine inl connection with which the control of the various parts of the control as shown in the accompanying drawings is desirable because of the simplicity and compactness of these parts, it is obvious that the desired progressive movements of the various rotatable members may be secured by a number of ifnechanisms securing the same operative efect.-

the invention to the precise details of construction shownin the drawings, since such may be varied without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is l Y 1. An automatic stop, mechanism control embodying therein a plurality of s aced pairs of contacts, one of the contacts o each pair being electrically connected with acontact of an ladjacent pair, means electrically connecting one of the contacts of the first and last pair with an electrical source, a plurality of movable members adapted to bridge the gap between and electrically connect the is useda before ther@ can be an aulomlo Lcontacts of each pair, a sequence of rotatstoppage of the application of power t0 the able members, 'each of said rotatable memmachine, is the primary object and an eSSeIlbers having associated therewith a movable tial characteristic of the invention. contact member a main actuating mechanism vIt' is ObVOuS that the members 0f aCh pail' operative upon one of said rotatable-members of spaced contacts l0 to 14 must be insulated and adapted to receive impulses from a movfrom each other, and that one of the `coning. mechanism of a machine with each cycle Facts of each Pair must be olootfloauy Conof operationsof said machine, means causnected with one of the contacts of the adJaing a progressive actuation of said rotatable cent pair so as to'secure a series coupling of` members, and means whereby the movable ythe various circuit controls. In the construcmember associated therwith may be opera'.

i tion Shown in the drawings, this S dono by tively connected with, and adjusted in reacting upon the variousf'star Ywheels will premounting the Va 1`o115 Contats 011 a Plato of\ lation to, a rotatable member to predetermsulatmg maliol'lal and hVlng @30h o f those? me an interval of simultaneous actuation plates, excepting those connected with the 0f Said circuit controlling devices. i

lead Wlles 15-'16 SUPPOF and oleotl'loauy 2. A n ,automatic stop mechanism control Connect Contacts ofdlafent Pallsias Shown embodying thcreina sequence of rotatable m01'e,Pa`t1Cu1af1Y 111 Flgs.- 3 and 4 of the shafts, dials carried by and rotatable with drawmgs* The Constuotlon and; @Hangosaid shafts respectively, each of said dials mont of 'Chose Contacts, however, 1S lmmato' having ten graduatins indicated thereon ,rial to the invention and may take a wide and spaced equally apart, an arm idly mountvariety 0f dlirent forms S0 1011s as the moveed on each of said shafts adjacent the dial mont of theCO'OPeFatlUg movable member m 0h said shaft, co-operating means operative relation thereto will be such as to close the upon each of Said arms and upon the adju. Circuit at 8,3011 Pair 0f contcls as requlled m cent dial, whereby said arm may be set adthe Operatlon if tm Control' jacent any of the graduations upon' and con- 111th@ operano of acontrol embodymg the nected to have movement with said dial,"a

invention, notwithstanding the' simplicity of the various transfer mechanisms shown, there will be suliicient accuracy to, accomplish the purposes of the invention; The detent pawls vent any material overrunning of any of the rotatable members 22 to 26 upon the application of power thereto through the transfer mechanisms, but slight overrunnir'ig` is permissible since there can are not actuated through entrained gears.

Whle'the construction and arrangement be no cumulative error where the various rotatable members v machine, co-operating ymeans carriedfbysaid shafts respectively, whereby said shafts are progressively actuated, and a plurality of circuit controllingfdevice'sl adapted to cooperate llo with said arms respectively said devices being in series in a circuit from a source, whereby the iiiterval of the simulcta'neous actuation of said "circuit controlling i devices by said annsrmaybe' predetermined J mi l lby the settingof said arms. 3. An automatic stop mechanism control embodying therein a sequence 'of rotatable shafts, dials carried by and rotatable withsaid shafts respectively, each of said dials having 'ten graduations indicated thereon and spaced equally apart, an arm idly mounted on each of said shafts adjacent the dial on said shafts, co-operating means operative. y

upon each of said arms and upon the adjacent dial,.whereby said arm may be set adj acent any of the graduations upon and con- 'f' lnnected4 to have movement with said dial, a'

main actuating mechanism operativey upon f one of said shafts adapted to receiveimpulses from a moving mechanism: of a ma chine with each cycle of operations of said w machine, co-operating means carried by Said Ashafts respectively, whereby said shafts are progressively actuated, a plurality of spaced pairs of contacts, one of the contacts of each pair being electrically connectedwith a contact of an adjacent pair, means electrically connecting one of the contacts of the ir'st and the last pair with an electrical source, and a Contact member carried by each of ,said armsadapted to bridge/the gap between l andelect-rically vconnect the contactssof the pair wlth Whichl it co-operates.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto aiiXed l my signature this52nd day of February, 1928. ALEXAN CLAXTON CARY, 3D.

TCH 

